


The Wolf and the Moon

by KatzRoad



Category: Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (Cartoon)
Genre: Gen, Implied Relationships, Minor Violence, Pre-Canon
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-03
Updated: 2020-06-03
Packaged: 2021-03-03 20:41:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,178
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24531727
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KatzRoad/pseuds/KatzRoad
Summary: A special friend of the king makes an unexpected visit. While they become acquainted with everyone, Hector can't help but feel perturbed by their grace and goodwill. He knows better to take something at face value.
Kudos: 9





	The Wolf and the Moon

Hector approaches the king’s bedchamber as he’s done for the past decade, checking on the king and queen’s well-being one last time before he turns in for the night. He expects the familiar sight of them in nightwear, sound asleep, with Theodora’s arm draped over her husband’s chest when he peeks inside. Instead, his ears pick up the sound of laughter that echoes through the quiet halls this late of night and that makes him slow his pace with suspicion.

It’s not as though he’s found the king and queen still up at these hours before; sometimes it would be the queen finishing some needlework, sometimes it would be Edmund, with a bottle of ale from his private collection, which he would gladly share with Hector (albeit they don’t disturb Theodora’s slumber with their subsequent jolliness). He knows Edmund’s gruff and boisterous laugh like the back of his hand. He knows it’s usually complimented with his wife’s subdued and sophisticated laugh.

The laughter complimenting the former does not belong to Theodora, or Adira, or anyone he’s knows personally. This laughter is softer, more elegant, and more importantly mysterious to his ears. He would be alarmed if it weren’t for the fact that it also captivated him as well. Hector leans against the large and heavy doors to listen in on the muffled conversation going on behind them: at some point, his name parts from Edmund’s lips and he leans further to hear a response from the other voice but there is none.

What the knight does hear next is the sudden, harsh contact of claws against wood and that makes him jump back in surprise. Edmund’s laughter tapers off into silence, and Hector retreats a step. He swallows thickly – perhaps he’s heard too much – and retreats another step, mind already working on the apology for interrupting what seems to be a private intrigue. He watches as the doorknob to one door jiggles for a moment and then unlocks with a soft click.

Slowly, the door swings open to reveal a lioness waiting for him on the other side. Hector blinks a couple of times in shock and then stares dumbly at the big cat sitting upright before him, a sight that seems so terribly out of place for this time of hour. The lioness neither growls nor comes over to confront him. She simply sits there staring him with a gaze that seems almost indifferent to Hector. He inches closer to the big cat and then rubs his chin, head cocking to the left as he stares back.

“Well, well, if it isn’t the man of the hour himself!” Hector’s eyes snap up just in time to see Edmund appearing in the doorway with a hearty chuckle. His large and imposing figure, usually sheathed in the best armor that could be forged, seems approachable when dressed in an open mauve robe and matching silk pants. He watches as his majesty pats the lioness’s head with a grin and receives a growl in approval.

“You’re right on time, me and the misses we’re just talking about you!” Edmund grins. When the lioness drifts away from his hand, the king pulls Hector inside and the door closes behind them with a soft click. “C’mon, I want to introduce you to a special lady friend of mine.” he said keenly.

Hector is led from the door and over to the fireplace, which bathes the room in warm hues of orange. He glances to the left and sees Theodora asleep in bed, her arm holding a book protectively against her chest. He sees a slender arm occupying the armrest that usually belongs to the queen when she sits near the fireplace. The lioness can now be found curled up behind said chair, telling him who’s the owner of said beast.

“So you must be Hector,” both men stop when the other finally speaks again. Slowly, a woman rises from the chair and turns to face them. She’s the same height as the queen, with curly black hair pulled into a bun, and eyes a mesmerizing light grey. The fire warms her skin to a rich brown. “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you.” she smiles.

“Uh…” Hector opens his mouth twice and then swallows his tongue. It’s rare for him to be at a loss for words, especially when he’s known for his bluntness and sass. He clears his throat and then extends his hand as a compromise, mustering up a half-hearted grin. “Pleasure to meet you, madame.” he grunts.

His skin bristles with goosebumps when she shakes his hand. Something washes over him then – not quite fear, not quite distress – but something uneasy that settles deep in his stomach. His discomfort goes unnoticed by Edmund, who happily introduces his special friend as Selene of the Silver Kingdom. Likewise, as soon as he’s acknowledged the pair return their chairs and resume the conversation they were having previously.

Hector does not leave but doesn’t get involved in their conversation. He declines his majesty’s offer to bring a chair over for himself and instead leans against the mantelpiece, arms crossed over his chest, keeping watch. But as the conversation goes on, he finds his attention drifting back to Selene. His eyebrows scrunch into a frown.

From the looks of it, there’s nothing about this woman that should prompt suspicion from him. She was graceful, elegant, and poised. If there was an unflattering angle to view her, he was having trouble finding it. There was no hesitance in her voice, no blunder of manners, no misstep of protocol. If Hector had to be frank, he would have to say she was perfect. Utterly, inexplicably perfect.

So why does that all seem so utterly, inexplicably wrong to him? Why does this woman – with such a cheerful smile and twinkle in her eye – fill him with uneasiness?

“Well I should be heading to bed now.” Selene rises from her seat with a yawn, the need for sleep too strong to ignore anymore. Her lioness rises up as well and takes a moment to stretch before striding over to the door. Hector watches as Edmund stands up with a yawn too and then helps Selene into her robe.

The knight follows them to the door, remaining silent as Selene turns to look up Edmund with a warm smile. She glances to Hector and then stands on her toes to whisper something into Edmund’s ear, which causes him to look at Hector with a brief frown. “Goodnight, amica mea.” she quietly thanks.

Selene kisses him on the cheek then, leaving Edmund rosy when she steps back. She takes another glance at Hector and then turns to leave the room with her lioness close at her side. Edmund waves a goodbye and after seeing enough her walk, closes the door behind him with a sigh of appreciation. 

Hector is there when he turns around, arms crossed and an incredulous look on his face. “Now what was all of that?” he demands.

“What? That? She was just saying goodnight.” Edmund shrugs.

**Author's Note:**

> I don't know what to say, mostly because I wrote this on a whim. I know I wanted to do something with the Dark Kingdom and the Brotherhood, as I never wrote Edmund before. Hopefully, I'll come back to this in the future. In the meantime, I hope people enjoy this start for now.
> 
> Feedback is welcomed!


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